Straight from the Author's Mouth with Faye Rapoport DesPres

Faye Rapoport DesPres is the author of the memoir-in-essays Message From a Blue Jay and the Stray Cat Stories Children’s Book Series. Faye earned her MFA from the Solstice Creative Writing Program at Pine Manor College and has published creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry in a variety of literary journals. A lifelong advocate for animals, wildlife, and environmental protection, she donates a portion of the proceeds from her children’s books to non-profit animal rescue organizations. Faye lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband, Jean-Paul Des Pres, and their rescued cats.

INTERVIEW:

Thanks for letting us interrogate you!  Can you give us a go-for-the-gut answer as to why you wanted to be an author?

I honestly can’t explain “why.” Publishing a book was a dream I’d had since childhood, when I wrote poems and stories for myself and friends. Becoming a published writer just seemed like the natural dream to me, the hopeful result of working towards my potential.

Tell us (we won’t tell promise!) is it all it’s cracked up to be?  I mean what are the perks and what are the demands?

I would say it’s not exactly what it’s cracked up to be, if the image of being an author is seeing your books sell thousands or even millions of copies, making lots of money, and being asked to appear on popular talk shows. None of those things have happened to me. The “perks” include the satisfaction of knowing your work is entertaining your readers and/or inspiring others and getting the messages you’d like to express out into the world. Getting positive feedback about your writing and books also feels good. However, writing is very hard work, and writers face a lot of rejection on the path towards whatever their version of “success” looks like. Plus, there will inevitably be negative comments, reviews, and feedback to go with the positive, and that can feel like a kick in the gut. 

Which route did you take – traditional or self-published – and can you give us the nitty gritty low down on what’s that like? 

I took the traditional route. My first book, a personal essay collection or memoir-in-essays, was “shopped” by an agent to a variety of publishers, and like many writers I faced a lot of rejection on the road to getting some nice offers and eventually publishing with a lovely, small independent press (that I ended up connecting with on Twitter of all places). The connections I made with the first book helped me publish my children’s books with an imprint owned by the same publisher.

Tell us for real what your family feels about you spending so much time getting your book written, polished, edited, formatted, published, what have you?

My husband has always been supportive of the time and effort (and even, at times, financial investment) it takes to be a writer. Having a supportive partner is huge.

Do your pets actually get their food on time or do they have to wait until you type just one more word?

My pets get their food (and meds, and whatever else they need) before I do anything else. Rule #1.

Are your plants actually still alive?

Yes, they are!

In writing your book, how did you deal with the phone ringing, your family needing dinner or your boss calling you saying you’re late?

I usually write early in the morning before anyone (except my pets) has access to me. The Internet, however is a problem. It can be hugely distracting, so I’ve had to do everything from use software that shuts it down while I write to having a laptop that doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi. On the days when I don’t get away from the Internet, I’m much less productive as a writer.

What was the craziest or insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing process?

After working with an agent for months, a publisher I’d interacted with on Twitter asked to read my manuscript and then offered to publish it — and ended up being the one I chose.

How about the social networks?  Which ones do you believe help and which ones do you wish you could avoid?

I wish I could avoid them all at this point! However, as a writer, I feel it’s important to be “out there” and available/visible. I have found that Facebook pages and ads help publicize my books, although that might change somewhat as Facebook falls somewhat out of favor.

Book sales.  Don’t you just love them (or lack of?)?  How are you making the sales happen for you?

I love them when they happen. Making them happen isn’t easy! Like most authors, I do everything from being active and advertising on social media to doing readings and participating in panels or other literary or local events. For my first book, the publisher assisted a great deal with marketing. For the children’s books, I have had to do more on my own. Getting online reviews (if they’re positive!) is always helpful, but it’s hard asking readers to review. You have to do it, though.

What is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and scream about?

Just one thing?

Okay, too much sugar for you today!  Here’s a nice cup of Chamomile tea and come on over and sit under the cabana and watch the waves roll in.  Now…can you tell us what you love about being a published author and how all those things above doesn’t matter because it’s all part of the whole scheme of things and you wouldn’t have it any other way?

I love getting an email from a reader who tells me my memoir made them feel less alone in the world. I love getting a photo of a grandmother, grandfather, or parent reading one of my children’s books to a smiling child. I love hearing that a child pulled on his or her parent’s hand and said they have to help a stray cat they’ve just spotted outdoors because they remember Little White (the subject of my first book). I love donating money to animal rescue organizations when my children’s books sell. Knowing you’ve touched people and made a difference makes all of the hard work, time, rejection, and negative feedback worth it.